John McCain - what were you thinking?

I'd never heard of Sarah Palin until yesterday. All I really know is that she's Governor of Alaska, has been for about a year and a half, is under investigation for trying to get her ex brother in law fired from his State trooper job and that she's a "hockey mom" whatever that is.

I'm not really sure what was in John McCain's mind when he picked her to be his running mate, or why on earth she accepted. I would have thought that the best strategic thing for her career development would have been for her to give a barn storming Convention speech, kind of like the one Obama gave in 2004, and then for her to be considered for higher office in 4 years' time.

It's a shame to see a talented young politician - and to have beaten a Republican incumbent in the primaries in 06 she must have something about her - being forced forward ahead of her time. Instead, in a year or so we will have forgotten who she is as I think McCain has now seriously jeopardised his chances of winning in November.

Joe Biden is an experienced, competent man that it's easy to see assumimg the presidency if you had to. He is a safe pair of hands who is unlikely to be called upon. The opposite is true with Sarah Palin - let's face it, McCain is 72 and has had health scares.

This is not a time for the Democrats to get complacent though - this is, after all, the country that elected Dan Quayle as Veep in 1988.